CTA Arts in Transit Seeks Artists for Brown and Red Line Stations

The City of Chicago Public Art Program invites local, national and international professional artists and artist teams to submit qualifications for commissions of permanent public works of art for the CTA Arts in Transit Program.  Deadline for qualification submissions for Phase 3 projects, the final round, is March 1 2007.

Background
In 2004, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the City of Chicago Public Art Program installed nine permanent works of art at eight rail stations on the Cermak Branch of the Blue Line. The CTA has since created an ongoing program to showcase permanent works of art in conjunction with the City of Chicago Public Art Program.  The Arts in Transit Program is funded by the CTA, in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration.  The Program, begun in 2006, is creating opportunities to develop artwork for station reconstruction projects along 26 stations on the CTA Red and Brown Lines.  Artists are selected to create permanent artwork with input from the surrounding communities of each station.

The CTA and the City of Chicago Public Art Program, administered by the Department of Cultural Affairs, encourage and facilitate collaborations between artists, government agencies, the community and other partners. 

By combining the visibility and accessibility of the city’s mass transit system with the creativity of Chicago’s art resources, this program brings professional works of art designed with input from nearby communities to permanent, public display.  The CTA Arts in Transit Program  provides high profile locations for public, fosters community pride, provides CTA customers with visual stimulation and beautifies the city of Chicago as a whole.

The Sites

Phase III art opportunities are forthcoming at the Fullerton and Belmont Stations of the CTA Brown Line and the Howard Station at the terminus of the Red Line Dan Ryan Branch. All of these stations will be renovated by 2009.  Images of a number of the final station designs are available on the CTA website at http://transitchicago.com/news/motion/.

Proposed artworks may include, but are not limited to: suspended (hanging) sculpture, mosaics, art glass, ornamental fencing, mixed-media artwork, and freestanding sculpture and furniture.   The artwork appropriate for each station will be determined by the site constraints of each specific location designated for art by the CTA.

 

Timeline

The City of Chicago Public Art Program will accept submissions on a continual basis until March 1, 2007.  Artists’ qualifications will be reviewed for subsequent project phases throughout early 2007. Installation dates for artwork are dependent on the construction timeline of each affected station.

Eligibility

The CTA Arts in Transit Program is open to all living professional artists regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability or residency.  Artists working in appropriate materials are encouraged to apply.

Selection Process

A Project Advisory Panel (PAP) will be established to review artist applications and select finalists for each transit station.  Each PAP is comprised of the City of Chicago Public Art Program Project Coordinator, community representatives from the neighborhood around each station and two representatives from the art community.  The panel will also include several CTA advisors including a Facilities Planner, a Rail Line General Manager and a Transit Architect.   Artists’ submissions will be considered for stations that are appropriate based on the style, materials, and suitability of the artwork that is documented in the artist’s application. 

Each PAP will select two to five artists per transit station to receive a Request for Proposal (RFP).  Artists who submit a comprehensive proposal will receive a $500.00 design fee. The proposal becomes the property of the CTA.  Each PAP will review proposals and select artists for the commission of permanent artwork for each designated transit station. 

Public Safety Requirements

Each artwork location has size, weight, structure, material and lighting requirements.  All artwork commissioned through the Arts in Transit Program must meet all relevant laws, regulations, rules and criteria regarding public safety.  Details will be provided to the selected artists as part of the Request for Proposals (RFP).

Entry Process

Artist teams must designate a primary contact for submissions to the Program.   Each Artist or Artist Team should submit a completed Slide Registry Form and signed Addendum accompanied by:

• Up to 20 labeled slides or digital images (400-600 dpi, jpegs).  If submitting digital images, a printed thumbnail index must be provided.
• A current resume*
• A written statement that articulates your qualifications and prior experience with comparable projects*
• Any support materials such as exhibition catalogs, reviews, artist’s statements or magazine articles*
  * Not to be submitted in digital format, printed copies only.

Artists currently registered with the City of Chicago Public Art Program may use their current file for the CTA Arts in Transit Program by submitting only the completed Slide Registry Form and signed Addendum  to be added to their file.  However, artists are encouraged to update their file with recent work reflective of their capabilities for the CTA Arts in Transit Program.

Applications are available at www.cityofchicago.org/publicart
 (click applications link) or by  U.S. Mail (call the CTA project hotline, 312-742-1161 and leave a message with name and address).

Send or deliver applications to:

CTA Arts in Transit Program
Public Art Program
City of Chicago
78 East Washington Street
Chicago, Illinois 60602

For inquiries or to request additional applications call: (312) 742-1161

Para mas informacíon, contacte a Fabi Ramirez de el Programa de Arte Publico al (312) 742-1156

Only properly completed applications will be reviewed.